Help? My Hens buns are going bald

[Laura Gerrard]

Oh ok!!! Usually I get to ask my mom all these questions but she just flew the coop and went home and of course that's when this newby starts having problems. I've only had chickens for six months but I'm hooked. Hence the name just hatched lol your the best

 

[Granny Hatchet]

your welcome and I am past my bedtime. sleep well.

 

[LilJoe]

Yes I have a Rooster and he has just been introduced to the layers and is extremely eager to meet them. Could that be it?

Most likely yes

I'm sorry I'm new to this... Does this mean the hen wants no part and the rooster has been to over zealous

Broody means the hen wants to hatch eggs and raise chicks.
When a hen is over mated her rear often goes bald because the roo is on her too much.

 

[Laura Gerrard]

sounds like you have a young rooster. He will settle down after a month or so. Feather pickers are other chickens plucking them for protein or calcium, I forget. A bald chest area sounds like they might be going broody which means they want to hatch some eggs and they pull the feathers themselves for better contact with the eggs to keep them warm.

So the other chickens get protein and calcium from the feathers. Now that I know that I will be sure to gather them as I see them for my younger ones. I have 13 total consisting of one rooster and 12 possible hens. I raised all but four since they were chicks. I have sex links, Cornish, Colombian Wyandotte, speckled Sussex, bantam silky buff colored, three barnvelders, black Australorp, and one beautiful butterscotch mystery bird. I guess not bad for a beginner

 

[Granny Hatchet]

no, you dont need to give them feathers. They do that when something is lacking in their diet. Its a bad habit they pick up plucking other chickens.